Office-indicator



(No Model.)

A. ANGELL.

OFPIUE INDICATOR.

me mams PETERS co. wmauwo.. wAs'raNnraN, im;

lNITET) STATES Prion.

PATENT AUGUSTUS ANGELIJ, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- IIAIJF TO VILLIAM E. XVRIGIIT, OF BURLINGTON, NEV JERSEY.

OFFICE-INDICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 571,325, dated November 17, 1896.

Application led September 5, 1895. Serial No. 561,518. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUSTUS ANGELL, a citizen of the Uni ted States, residing at Hartford, in the county of I-Iartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Office-Indicators, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to the class of devices provided for professional and other oflice peo* ple to be displayed for indicating the presence of or absence of an individual from his customary place and the time of his probable retu rn The object of the invention is to provide a simple, compact, and convenient device of this class which can be readily displayed in a conspicuous position and can be quickly set to indicate in an attractive manner the presence of an individual in a private oflice or consulting-room, or his absence therefrom and the day and hour of his return, which device is provided with a receptacle for cards, notes, and similar memoranda of persons desiring to leave notice of their call during the absence of the displayer of the indicator.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a plan of the device, showing the article in one position as indicating the presence of a person in an inner office or private consulting-room. Fig. 2 is a plan of the device, showing the article in another position, as for indicating the absence and day and hour of return of the displayer; and Fig. 3 is a central vertical section of the device to illu strate the construction.

In the views, l indicates the back or base of the article, which is made oblong or of any desirable size. This base is formed of a thin stiff sheet of material, as paper-board or thin TWood or other hard material, to insure the requisite stiffness, and a cover of suitable ornamental paper, cloth, or leather to give the desired nish.

At about the middle 0f the oblong base is secured a leaf 2, which is formed and finished similarly to the base. This leaf is connected with the base across the middle by a iiexiblc fabric, or the covering material is left so as to be flexible in order that the leaf may be turned up or down against the base, as deysired. lVhen the leaf is turned up, of course one of its faces and the lower part of the base are exposed, the upper part of the base being concealed back of the leaf, While Whentlie leaf is turned down, the other of its faces is eX- posed and also the upper part of the base, and the lower part of the base is covered by the leaf. p

Secured to the base across the front near the bottoni is a flap 3, so connected as to form a pocket or receptacle that may receive cards, notes, or memoranda, and on this iiap in any desirable lettering is usually put the inscription Leave message on card, or a similar inscription indicating that a card may be left in the pocket. Hinged to the back of the base in any suitable manner is a leg or support S, that can be laid close against the base or can be opened out and used to support the device on a table, desk, or other locality. At the top of the base and usually held by an eyelet that provides a perforation by means of Which the device may be hung upon a nail or other peg isa catch 4, that may be used to retain the leaf When it is turned up. l

On the face of the upper part of the base, in any suitable lettering, is printed or stamped the words In Please be seated, or any similar phrase denoting that the displayer of the indicator is near at hand and will pres-A ently appear.`

One face of the leaf, that which is exposed when the leaf is turned down, is usually left blank, While the other face is provided With a dial 5, upon Which are lettered the hours of the day and also the days of the Week. Pivoted to the center of this dia-l is a revoluble disk 6, that covers all but one of the indications for the days of the Week, and outside of this the hands 7 are pivot-ed in such manner as to point to the hour-nuinerals. On this face of the leaf, above or adjacent to the dial, are the Words Out. Return at or a similar lettering.

This indicator is particularly adapted foi` the use of professional people, as physicians or attorneys, who have a main waiting-room and a private office or consulting-room, or for any people Who 'at times are required to close their offices and desire to leave Word when they will return. \Vhen the user of this in IOO dicator is in his private apartment and desires to notify visitors that he is at hand, the catch at the top is turned around and the leaf allowed to naturally drop and remain downward, and then the device may be hung,` upon a nail or stood upon the top of a desk or table imposition to be readily seen. Then the leaf is down, the Words In. Please be seated, on the upper part of the face, are exposed, and no other inscription or part is exposed. Then the owner of the indicator is desirous of informing Visitors that he is absent, the leaf is turned up and caught beneath the catch at the top. This exposes the Words Outp vill return at, and also the dial4 with the indicated days and hours, Which are properly set to tell the day and hour at which the party will return. When the leaf is in this position and indicates the absence of the owner or displayer of the indicator, the pocket at the bottom is also exposed for the receipt of messages or cards.

The device is simple, cheap, attractive, and convenient. lt can be .readily placed in any han gin g' or standing position and quickly set to indicate the presence or absence of a person and to denote the hour at which the person will return. The leaf is easily turned up or down to expose these different inscriptions, and the pointers and disk are readily moved to indicate the exact day and hour of the rcturn of a person.

I claim as my inventionl. An office-indicator consisting,1 of a thin base, a thin leaf hinged to one face of the base near the middle and adapted to be t urncd up to cover ihe upper part of the base or turned down to cover the lower part of the base, a numbered dial on the face of the leaf that is exposed When the leaf is turned up, the other face of the leaf being blank, and hands pivoted to the leaf at the center of the dial on the dial side of the leaf, substantially as specified.

2. An office-indicator consisting` of a thin base, a thin'leaf hinged to one face of the base near the middle and adapted to be turned up to cover the upper part of the base or turned down to cover the lower part of the base, a dial bearing` both hour-minierals and also day indications on the face of the leaf that is exposed when the leaf is turned up, the other face of the leaf being blank, a pivot at the center of the dial, a revolving disk smaller than the dial held by the pivot outside of the day indications, and hands held by the saine pivot on the dial side of the leaf and pointing; to the hourqnimerals, substantially as specified.

3. An office-indicator consisting of a thin base, a thin leaf hinged to one face of the base near the :middle and adapted to be turned up to cover the upper part of the base or turned down to cover the lower part of the base, a catch for holding the leaf when it is turned up, a dial bearing hour-numerals and also day indications on the face of the leaf that is exposed when the leaf is turned up, the other face of the leaf being,` blank, a pivot at the center of the dial, a revolving,` disk smaller than the dial held by the pivot, said disk covering,` all but one of the day indications, a pair of hands held by the same pivot on the dial side of the leaf and pointing` to the hour-numerals, a flap at the bottom of the base that is exposed when the leaf is turned up and covered when the leaf is turned down, and a leg,` hinged to the back of the base, substantially as specified.

AUGUSTUS ANGELL. Vilitn esses:

ll. R. XVILLIAMS, A E. J. HYDE. 

